CAMILLUS. 311

most vigorous soldiers, set suddenly upon the Tuscans, who were in the possession of the city, and mastered them, slaying some and expelling the rest ; and so, return- ing to Rome with great spoils, gave signal evidence of their superior wisdom, who, not mistrusting the weakness and ag;e of a commander endued with courage and con- duct, had rather chosen him who was sickly and desirous to be excused, than younger men who were forward and ambitious to command. When, therefore, the revolt of the Tusculans was re- ported, they gave Camillus the charge of reducing them, choosing one of his five colleagues to go with him. And when every one was eager for the place, contrary to the expectation of all, he passed by the rest and chose Lucius Furius, the very same man who lately, against the judg- ment of Camillus, had rashly hazarded and nearly lost a battle ; willing, as it should seem, to dissemble that mis- carriage, and free him from the shame of it. The Tus- culans, hearing of Cainillus's coming against them, made a cunning attempt at revoking their act of revolt; their fields, as in times of highest peace, were full of ploughmen and shepherds; their gates stood wide open, and their children were being taught in the schools; of the people, such as were tradesmen, he found in their workshops, busied about their several employments, and the better sort of citizens walking in the public places in their ordi- nary dress ; the magistrates hurried about to provide quarters for the Romans, as if they stood in fear of no danger and were conscious of no fault. Which arts, though they could not dispossess Camillus of the convic- tion he had of their treason, yet induced some compassion for their repentance ; he commanded them to go to the senate and deprecate their anger, and joined himself as an intercessor in their behalf, so that their city was

acquitted of all guilt and admitted to Roman citizenship.